Volume 1 - Chapter 0 Prologue (2/2)

[Nikita, what is today’s recommendation?] (Yuuya)

[Uh..Well pork dishes are recommended today as a large batch of pork was brought in today for a cheap price.] (Nikita)

That must be the batch that I delivered to the butcher this afternoon. It seems that the butcher had sold the meat immediately after it was delivered.

[In that case, give me a stew and a skewer, as well as a refill please.] (Yuuya)

[Yes! No problem.] (Nikita)

She immediately ran into the kitchen. Whenever I am alone, I find myself coming to the bar. It was a place where many adventurers gather at. Although in a village that only has a low-leveled dungeon, it is quite the sight. There were many young adventurers. Although being an adventurer was a popular job, it was not a job a person could sustain beyond their mid thirties. Although many people pass away before they hit that point. Young people often spoke passionately about their dreams. Even now, the spirits of the young men were raising even higher.

[We are definitely going to conquer the Tower of Trials someday! And we will eventually be hailed as equals to the hero Leonard!]

[You say that although you are still struggling with Giant Toads.]

[Hey please do not say that out loud!]

Everyone in the bar laughed together.

After feeling the intensity of their passion, I felt my cold heart being warmed slightly.

I could see my food being carried over and I started having my dinner. The food was delicious as usual as the chef who works here had good cooking skills. Before arriving at this village, I had spent a large amount of time in a big city but that city did not have many stores that outclassed this store in terms of cooking ability.

Should I ask for one more refill? As I was asking myself that question, a man sat down in-front of me.

A man wearing magical armour with a silver class adventurer’s identity card hanging from his neck. His equipment was unfamiliar, suggesting that it was not from this village. It was however a familiar face. A face filled with youth and confidence

[I have been looking for you, Yuuya-san]

[I heard that you joined Blow, Ain.] (Yuuya)

This person was an adventurer from this village

Seven years ago, his parents begged for me to teach him the ways of the adventurer and I ended up teaching him for three years. After three years, he became a competent adventurer and left the village to challenge dungeons with higher difficulties.

[Well I have been training for the past four years with the Blows and became one of them. I plan to challenge the Tower of Trials.] (Ain)

I dropped my fork on the ground unintentionally.

[Yuuya-san. Would you like to come with us to the Tower of Trials? We can find out how great of an adventurer you really are! I am sure someone of your caliber would be able to clear the trial easily!. Doesn’t it sound like a good idea master?] (Ain)

I took a deep breath and began recollecting about the past. About how I was told similar things by other people in the past. However. My answer was decided long ago. Over ten years ago.

[Ain. I am grateful for the trust you have in me. However, I have to decline. I am not a chosen one.] (Yuuya)

Tower of Trials

It is a place where every adventurer dreams of going. It is a place where an adventurer goes if he wishes to be stronger than anyone else And more than a decade ago, it was the place I escaped from without even attempting.

[Please do not say such a thing! I have two dependable companions that are coming with us. If we had the experience,skill and strength of my teacher there-] (Ain)

[I told you. That I was never chosen for the trials. It was always shown on my status.] (Yuuya)

I activated my status card

The status card is capable of carrying money as well as function as an identity card. It was capable of revealing the stats and level of the owner. As he looks at the window that popped out, Ain said:

[Master you are lying to me.] (Ain)

[I’ve told you this before. I was unlucky back then. There was also a time I aimed to become stronger and pass the trial. However, the more we progressed, the more I despaired. It was impossible for me. When my friends told me that they wanted to challenge the trials, I left the party. I gave up my chance at becoming strong. Since then, I have doing unreasonable jobs like this.] (Yuuya)

My level is currently 50 and was the highest limit a person could go. Once a person reached this limit the person would unable to become stronger. Hence I have become as strong as the limit allowed me to be. Statuses existed in this world. Every time a person leveled up, their stat parameters increases by a value of 1~3. The expected value is 2, but there are always variations and restarting was impossible.

And I had the worst possible luck. My parameters always increased in increments of 1, however I believed someday my stat parameters would increase dramatically. Believing this I continued to level up, eventually hitting my level limit. To overcome my low stat parameters, I polished my swordsmanship as much as possible throughout the decades and eventually, I found a way to obtain a power that surpassed a person’s status.

Through blood,sweat and tears, I managed to obtain strength that went beyond my current status. Despite this, I still reached a limit. The higher the level, the larger the difference between our stat parameters becomes, and the more apparent it’s effects are, making it impossible to catch up with other people who aimed to be the strongest.

I could confidently say that I am a first-class adventurer, but I will never be able to reach the realm of heroes. And thus, I gave up on my dream of becoming the strongest. Like this, I chose a stable job by completing quests with lower difficulties.

[Ain, good luck in clearing your trials. If its you, you might have a chance at clearing the trials. You are different from someone like me who was cursed with bad luck.] (Yuuya)

Ain had the status required for someone to enter the realms of heroes. He could even be able to achieve something that is impossible for me.

[I am sorry Yuuya-san. I did not know.] (Ain)

[It was bad of me to talk about a depressing story to someone who cherishes his teacher. I am done with my meal. I will be making a move first.] (Yuuya)

It became an atmosphere impossible to drink alcohol in. I placed a little more money than the bill on the desk, and called out to Nikita before leaving the bar.

Seriously. Reminding me of bad memories.

.

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Although Youya gave up his dream of becoming stronger, the burning passion within his heart began to burn once more.